Argentinian star goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez arrived in India on Monday as part of a three-day tour and landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata. The 30-year-old star player suggested that India is a place he always wanted to come to and was in awe of the fans in the country.
Emiliano Martinez excited to be in Kolkata:
Speaking to PTI after arriving at the Kolkata international airport, Martinez claimed:
"I am really excited, feeling great. It was a dream (coming to India). I had promised to come to India, I am happy to be here."
Martinez stated that he scarcely expected the kind of reception that he has arrived in India and can't wait to visit the Mohun Bagan club.
"The people of Kolkata are football mad. I understand that. So many supporters have come here. This shows how much they love football. I am looking forward to going to Mohun Bagan club. I didn't expect to get so much support when I came to Kolkata."
Martinez was a key figure in Lionel Messi's captaincy as Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Doha. In a heated quarterfinal battle against the Netherlands, he stopped two penalty shots, and in the summit match against France, he did the same. The way he celebrated after winning the trophy and the way he mocked Kylian Mbappe of France also caused controversy, as many criticised him for his "unsportsmanlike behaviour."
Emiliano Martinez to begin his Kolkata tour with an event on Tuesday:
The 30-year-old will begin his Kolkata visit with an event at around 12:30 pm, attending a function at Melon Mala premises. The event is named as 'Their Talk', where Martinez will speak about his life and the recipe behind his success in the sport.
Martinez will be at the Mohun Bagan Ground on July 4 in the evening for the game between the Mohun Bagan All Stars and the Kolkata Police All Stars. Dutta will accompany Martinez to Lake Town the next day, on July 5, where the 30-year-old will cheer on the winners of "Paanch e Paanch," a football penalty competition that Dutta invented and that has been going on for the past few weeks in nine districts of Bengal. Martinez will present the trophy to the event winners before proceeding to Santosh Mitra Square to "deliver a football clinic for kids."
Martinez and Dutta will next stop in Rishra, Hooghly, the hometown of the former, where local leaders will congratulate Martinez during a brief meet-and-greet. Martinez will present a check as part of a memorial fund for a deceased close friend of Dutta.
Martinez's trip to Kolkata will come to an end with a farewell dinner at ITC Royal on Wednesday night. He is expected to depart Kolkata in the early hours of July 6.
